Are you eager to make the most of your summer break and jumpstart your career? There are many productive things you can do in the summer and an internship is one of the most valuable. A summer internship can help you gain invaluable experience, build your professional network and test drive your future career path.
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about these transformative experiences, from navigating the application process to making the most of your time as an intern. Whether you’re a high school student or a recent college graduate, this comprehensive guide will equip you to land the perfect summer internship.
What Is an Internship?
An internship is a short-term work arrangement with a company. Unlike casual work experience or volunteering, internships often involve completing a specific job outlined in the role description. Companies are typically required to clarify the benefits an intern will gain during their time with the organisation. Internships tend to last several months, while work experience is typically no more than a few weeks.
What are summer internships?
Summer internships are temporary, full-time work opportunities during the summer break, allowing students to gain hands-on experience in a chosen field without academic distractions. These internships provide immersive experiences, skill development, networking opportunities and a chance to explore career options. They also help build resumes and can potentially lead to permanent positions within the company or industry.
What’s the difference between an internship and a summer internship?
While both internships and summer internships offer valuable work experience in a specific industry, the primary difference lies in their timing. Internships can occur at any time of the year, whereas summer internships take place during the summer months. Summer internships tend to be more intensive, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in their chosen field without juggling academic responsibilities.
The Benefits of a Summer Internship
Embarking on a summer internship can be a game-changer for your career, providing you with a wealth of advantages and opportunities for growth. Before diving into how to start looking for summer internships, let’s explore why these experiences are so highly sought after and how they can make a significant impact on your professional journey. Here’s a list of the top benefits you can expect from participating in a summer internship:
1. Gain real industry insights. Internships allow you to test out a sector or role, offering invaluable insights when deciding on a career path. You’ll work on your own projects, experiencing the industry first-hand and gaining a deeper understanding than shadowing or work experience can typically provide.
2. Discover the right fit. Completing an internship can help you determine if a job is right for you, saving you from committing to a long-term graduate scheme in the wrong field.
3. Enhance your CV. Internships are a great way to demonstrate your interest in a particular industry while providing relevant experience to help your CV stand out to potential employers.
4. Develop transferable skills. Internships help you acquire skills that will appeal to employers across various sectors, even if you choose not to pursue the specific industry of your internship.
5. Expand your professional network. Internships provide ample opportunities to connect and network with professionals. This can open doors to future jobs, industry events and further networking possibilities.
6. Increase your chances of permanent employment. Employers often offer permanent positions to interns upon completion, helping you transition directly into the job market.
How to Find Summer Internships
Landing your first internship can seem like a challenging task, especially when there are countless opportunities and industries to consider. To help you navigate this process with ease and confidence, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to find the perfect summer internship:
1. Decide on an industry or sector
The first step is to determine which industry you’re interested in. Speak with a careers advisor, attend employment events or search online for inspiration. If you’re unsure, our free Oxford Scholastica Career Test offers personalised recommendations and resources to help guide your decision.
2. Search online for internship opportunities
Once you have an idea of what you’d like to do, you can start looking for relevant openings.
Many companies advertise summer internships online. These are usually found on their websites and social media pages. You can also find a range of positions on sites like TargetJobs, e4s, LinkedIn and RateMyPlacement.
At Oxford Scholastica, we offer virtual internships where interns work with an expert mentor to co-author an academic article for publication.
3. Ask around for an internship referral
A lot of people find internship positions simply through word-of-mouth, so make sure you’re making the most of any connections you already have. Ask family, friends and anyone else you know working in your industry, or a similar one, whether they’ve heard of any openings.
If you particularly want to intern with a specific company but can’t find an internship application for them online, it’s worth calling or emailing their HR department and seeing if they’re offering anything. This can also allow you to explain the particular areas you’re interested in and have more input into the kind of internship you end up with.
4. Attend careers fairs
Careers fairs provide a wealth of information. They help you narrow down your interests by learning about the kinds of work that a company does and often provide information about current or future vacancies.
When Should You Start Applying for Summer Internships?
The bigger the organisation, the earlier the deadline for applications. It’s best to start looking for summer internships around August in the year before you want to complete a summer internship, e.g. August 2025 for a summer 2026 placement. Many open later than this, but starting early will allow you time to research and perfect your CV, as well as ensuring you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
February is usually when most applications are due, but some smaller organisations will have openings even later than this. Remember you can also reach out to companies yourself if they don’t offer a fixed internship.
How Can I Increase My Chances of Getting a Summer Internship?
Internship applications can vary hugely in length and detail, but we’ve outlined the key steps you might be expected to complete in your summer intern application and the most important internship application tips to help you stand out.
Craft a standout CV and cover letter
An essential part of securing an internship is your CV. This is your first impression to a potential employer, so it’s important to spend time writing a CV that demonstrates how well suited you are to the role. However, although your CV should be detailed, make sure it isn’t too long: no more than two pages. Usually, a single page is enough. The idea is not to list everything you’ve ever done, but to present experience that makes you perfect for the specific role you’re applying to. If something is impressive but irrelevant, it doesn’t need to be on there. This should also get you thinking about why the experience you have is helpful, even if it may at first seem unrelated.
You’ll usually need to write a cover letter to go alongside your CV. You should aim to match the tone of the company you’re applying to, although your letter should never be too informal. Express your interest in the internship, why you would particularly like to work with the given firm and briefly outline why you’re a good fit. Don’t just repeat things on your CV and stick to the word count if you’re given one. If not, don’t go over one side of A4.
Prepare for aptitude tests
You will likely be asked to complete some kind of aptitude test as part of the process. These can be anything from answering questions about videos to a maths test to psychometric testing, which assesses your abstract reasoning skills.
You can usually complete these at home, so make sure you’re somewhere quiet and away from distractions. Answer honestly and try to relax!
Ace your interviews
Depending on the size of the company, you could be asked to attend an interview. This may take place virtually and can sometimes involve answering a set of pre-recorded questions.
Again, make sure you’re somewhere you can concentrate, with a strong internet connection and no background noise. Remember, the key to surviving a job interview is preparation. Research the company, anticipate potential questions and practise your responses beforehand. With these tips, you’ll be ready to tackle any interview, whether it’s virtual or in person.
Follow up on internship applications
If you don’t hear back from a company within the expected timeframe, it’s worth following up with the HR department. They can be very busy and applications can get lost, so a quick polite email to check up on everything can be a good idea. Make sure you check whether they respond to everyone or just successful candidates, as it may be that your application wasn’t chosen this time.
What Do Recruiters Look for?
The following is a list of things that recruiters look for, not only on your CV but in the rest of the application process as well.
Passion and enthusiasm
One of the most important things to convey throughout the whole application process is enthusiasm. In your CV, cover letter and interview, you must be able to show a passion for the industry. Always check the company website before going to an interview and prepare examples of where you have gone above and beyond to extend your learning.
Effective communication skills
Businesses are always looking for people with good communication skills, so you need to show that you can express your ideas clearly. A straight-forward, confident application will demonstrate this, but it can also be helpful to highlight any presentations you’ve given or written reports you’ve produced. You can also talk about retail work, volunteering or any roles of responsibility you’ve held at school or university.
Commercial awareness
Commercial awareness is an understanding of the business and of the wider industry. Recruiters need to be convinced that you’re able to make credible and carefully-considered decisions that will benefit them. Read relevant news stories, research company competitors and talk to people working in the area before your interview. Make sure you know the company’s aims, the space they occupy in the market and anything else that makes them unique.
A team player
Employers will want to know that you can work well in a team. Many internship projects are collaborative so include evidence of your ability to work well with others. Recruiters are more likely to hire you if they think you’re going to fit in well and be a fun presence in the office. Besides, internships will only help you network if you maintain good relationships with the people you meet during your time there.
How to Prepare for an Internship
So you’ve completed the application process and received an offer, but what can you do to prepare before your first day?
Remember that it’s completely natural to be nervous before your internship. Keep in mind that you’ve already done a great job to be offered the place – the company wouldn’t have chosen you if they didn’t think you’d be a good fit. One way to feel more prepared is to check you know exactly when and where the internship will be taking place. It may be useful to practise the route beforehand so you know how long it takes to get there as you don’t want to be late on your first day! Also, check the dress code and make sure you have suitable clothes.
You can also brush up on your skills and think about your personal goals for the internship. Highlighting any areas you’d like to develop will help you get the most out of your time there.
Converting Your Internship into a Full-Time Job
Many employers use internships as a tool to get to know and potentially recruit new permanent employees. Internships can help organisations decide if the intern is a good fit for the role and it’s quite common for interns to receive a job offer upon completion. Paid internships turn into official job offers 65% of the time and unpaid around 39%.
Following the advice in previous sections, such as showing a keen interest, good work ethic and interpersonal skills, will help you turn your internship into a permanent job. Showing initiative, networking and ensuring you keep in contact with the company will also boost your chances.
Is it Worth Doing an Internship Abroad?
Completing an internship abroad is perfect for those who want to balance a love of travel with the benefits of an internship.
You can experience a new culture, maybe polish your foreign language skills and grow your independence. However, there are some considerations to take into account before you jet off to somewhere exotic. First of all, be aware that some programmes describe themselves as internships, but can cost you a lot of money without providing any useful experience, so make sure to do plenty of research and read independent reviews.
You should also check your right-to-work status in your chosen country, and take into account any transport, living and documentation costs before signing up to intern abroad.
You’ll also need to tailor your CV to the standards of the country. For example, the expected length of an application can differ greatly between countries, as can the expected amount of personal detail included.
Alternative Options
If you’re struggling to secure a summer internship, make sure you expand your search to smaller companies. Start-ups and other small businesses tend to advertise internships at a later date than the bigger companies. There are also plenty of other valuable ways to spend your summer.
Join Oxford Scholastica online
At Oxford Scholastica, we run online research internships throughout the year. You’ll be paired with one of our expert Mentors to work on a real project over the course of a month. At the end of the internship, you’ll receive a Certificate of Achievement and a personalised Letter of Recommendation, which you’ll be able to use in your university and job applications.
Virtual internships are a great way to gain practical experience while working remotely, saving on expenses associated with commuting and relocation, and retaining more flexibility in your schedule.
Consider part-time opportunities
Alternatively, you could branch out and try to secure experience within a different field. This could be a part-time job, voluntary work or extracurricular activity and can provide you with a wealth of transferable skills. Volunteering, for example, looks great on your CV!
Attend a summer school
You could also apply to study at a residential summer school. At Oxford Scholastica, we offer exceptional learning experiences in the university city of Oxford for students aged 12-18.
If you’re stuck at home, consider completing an online summer course. Showing initiative, by learning a language or learning to code, is a vital trait many companies look for.
Our Top Tips
- Start looking for summer internship opportunities as early as possible.
- Be enthusiastic in all of your communications.
- Do your research. Have a look at the company website, key trends, news stories and the other companies operating in the market.
- Keep a daily log of what you do on the internship as this will be extremely useful for your CV and any future interviews.
- Ask for feedback and/or a reference.
- Stay in touch. Internships provide an opportunity to network and these connections can help you enter the industry at a later date.
By Oxford Scholastica Academy
The Oxford Scholastica Academy was founded in 2013 by Jamie and Sophie, two former University of Oxford students, who have built a dynamic education company dedicated to empowering young people to chart their path in the world and make it better.
